Category: Opinion

The majority of decisions of council are unanimous, not 4-3 votes. That’s a fact. It’s what councillor John Hill told the museum board as recorded in the minutes of the Jan. 21 meeting. I did not attend that meeting, but I did attend the January meeting of the Ridgeway Business Improvement Area at which he […]

Let’s get the judge’s opinion first 13/05/24 — Our favourite four public servants, now known as the Four Respondents, are headed to court to defend themselves against charges that they violated the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and other laws when they settled the wrongful dismissal and other claims against them personally by giving the […]

13/03/26 — Back in early 2012, sometime between the time when some town councillors were actively trying to get the Town sued for breach of contract with the Molinaro Group and the time the Town solicitor was wrongfully fired, a review of municipal operations was conducted. David Berger of Western Management Consultants offered what can […]

Whether town councillors realize it or not — and my bet is that they do not — the 2013 capital budget adds insult to the injury of the closing of the Kinsmen Pool. It’s a double insult actually, even triple. You know the story of the pool. The previous council closed it because it required […]

Chosen by a 4-3 vote of councillors Paul Collard, John Hill, Don Lubberts and Bob Steckley, the top candidate for the position of chief administrative officer refused the job. A press release from the Town this morning said the parties “were unable to come to terms on an employment agreement.” Council will meet in September […]

By Mike Cloutier The money spent on the operations review by David Berger and Liuba Mamonova of Western Management Consultants was worth every cent, if only it turns the noise level down. An extra bonus would be if it helps to ratchet up the intelligence quotient “around this horseshoe” — what councillors have been calling […]

(Oct. 13, 2011) Once you figure out that some people don’t say what they mean, it becomes much easier to follow along with things such as . . . oh, town council meetings, for instance. Take for example Bob Steckley’s remarks when council authorized an $86,500 investigation of the election finances of five other members […]

The Ridgeway Herald special web release from April 29, 2011 edition By Mike Cloutier “I find it interesting that when things change, the discussion changes,” said Bob Steckley Tuesday as he argued to eviscerate the Town’s position in a lawsuit filed by some disaffected property owners who don’t like the Bay Beach condominium deal. Basically, […]

An independent third-party review of the operations of the Town of Fort Erie might be a good idea, but councillor John Hill’s approach to it could be improved. The idea of an independent review being conducted under the guidance of “interested councillors and the CAO” defeats the purpose of independence.